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13,000 personnel to guard Ahok's verdict reading
As many as 13,000 police personnel will guard the final hearing in Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama’s blasphemy trial on Tuesday.
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A security officer walks near a water cannon parked at City Hall prior to a rally against Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama. (Warta Kota/Mohamad Yusuf)
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s many as 13,000 police personnel will guard the final hearing in Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama’s blasphemy trial on Tuesday.
Prosecutors have demanded two years’ probation for Ahok if found guilty and one year in jail if he violates the terms of his probation, a far cry from the demand of several hard-line groups that he serve the maximum sentence of five years’ in prison.
The North Jakarta District Court will hand down the case’s verdict at the Agricultural Ministry in Ragunan, South Jakarta.
Jakarta Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Argo Yuwono said the number of police deployed on Tuesday would be higher than the usual amount deployed to guard the case’s hearings.
"For previous hearings we only deployed about 3,000 personnel," Argo said as quoted by tribunnews.com on Monday.
The Jakarta Police have received a letter notifying them that a rally will take place outside the ministry during the hearing. According to the letter, approximately 5,000 people will participate in the rally.
"The participants are from anti-Ahok groups," Argo said.
"We hope the two sides [Ahok supporters and the opposition] do not clash. Let them voice their concerns. We will certainly give them the space to do so," he said. (dea)
